Is it wrong to keep patting ourselves on the back for being so lucky? After a while does it come across as hubris?

I don't know. But I do know that the luck in question was to be from New Zealand; and to either be living here or able to return.

The second bit of luck was having the particular leaders leading us that we have had at this precipitous moment. Whatever your political stripes it seems absolutely clear that one of the things separating countries with success stories from those without them is having a stable leader who is trusted by the vast majority of the country.

Bash the Labour government over any other thing you like, but the reason we are so lucky is that they've been really good at pandemic stuff.

I was reminded of this last weekend while lazing in the sun at the Tauranga Racecourse enjoying the manifold pleasures of the Garden And Art Festival. It was Caitriona Fallon, of Riverdance fame, playing with a crack band of Tauranga musicians, who said it.

This was on Sunday, after already performing the day before. She said her friends back in Ireland had seen pictures on Facebook from the Saturday and were jealous all over. Couldn't believe how lucky we are. Because Ireland, like most of the United Kingdom and half of Europe, is currently either back or still in lockdown.

And we're not.

AFROLITES

So it was a really special thing to be at the racecourse along with crowds of happy Garden and Art punters and stallholders. Legendary local artist Rob McGregor was there socialising in the sun with a tent-full of paintings; The Sun's own Rosalie Liddle Crawford was indefatigably live-streaming to SunLive's Facebook page. And I was lucky enough to hear The Afrolites.

I haven't caught these guys for a couple of years and they have changed. I thought they were brilliant then and they still are. They now have two guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and a trumpet and play what I can only describe as Afro-futurist funk. It's the sort of music you might imagine from the fictional nation of Wakanda. Instrumental, funky, slightly weird and totally wonderful.

They have recently finished a new album. And I'm not sure exactly who they are because I had to leave early.

The reason I'm not sure exactly who they were, and I can't emphasise this enough, is because they wore masks. Yep. For the first time in my musical observations of the Tauranga scene I saw a band who wore masks! Not just any masks. Full Mexican wrestler-style masks. With Afro-futurist(?) designs on them. White and decorated. One had horns!

Fantastic. They also wore all white. These are people making great music and serious about how they present it. You can hear plenty of it on Spotify. Just dial up The Afrolites and you'll find two albums and an EP, all from last year. And all exceptionally cool and funky...

FTW TKKC

Before I go, a quick plug for an upcoming gig. Down at the Jam Factory next Friday (December 4) you'll be able to hear a blast of original Aotearoa Hard Roots Music with Sasha Perry. Sasha has opened for Jimmy Cliff and others and created Maori Television's first music show Roots Music. He currently fronts the group FTW TKKC, whose initials should not be revealed in a family newspaper.

Despite the struggles of the music business Sasha has had support from the likes of Tiki Taane. As he says: 'its a hustle everyday... To get the recognition from the likes of Tiki and Ninakaye is a huge tautoko for everyone related to FTW TKKC and our music.”

Along the way Sasha has worked with some of the biggest names in music, television and film.

'I love working with anyone who loves music. Working with young producers like Willz SDot and Rob Tizl, bands like Fame, artists like Phreaze... it all enhances my experience as an artist and a human”.

Tickets are $10 from Events Pronto or on the door, which opens at 6.30pm.